Electric signaling system



R. W. RICHARDSON ELECTRIC SIGNALING SYSTEM Om. 15, 1935. Y 2,017,166

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 2, 1929 33 INVENTOR.

2/ v /76 5. BY I 5 2, MkpggI A TTORN @CL 15, 1935. R cH so 2,017,166

ELECTRIC S IGNALING SYSTEM Filed April 2, 1929 2 Sheets-$heet 2INVENTOR.

Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC SIGNALINGSYSTEM Robert W. Richardson, Cleveland, Ohio Application April 2, 1929,Serial No. 351,993

2 Claims.

This invention as indicated relates to an electric signaling system.More particularly it comprises a readily variable device suitable forindicating the number of units or articles available or to be suppliedand for stepping up or down the visual indication from any one of aplurality of stations. The device may be used in a restaurant toindicate the number of orders awaiting delivery, from the kitchen, ofeach special :item on the menu which requires the attention of the cook,or may be used to indicate the number of units on the branch assemblylines of a manufacturing establishment, such as an automobile assemblyline, or may be used to show the number of cabs at various cab stations.The instances mentioned are merely illustrative and by no meansexhaustive inasmuch as the device is applicable to quite varied uses andcertain parts of the apparatus may be found of advantage in connectionwith advertising signs or for purposes of various kinds whereinselective operation of one or more of a plurality of electrical circuitsis desirable with controls operable from any one of a number ofdifferent stations. To the accomplishment of the foregoing and relatedends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fullydescribed and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detailcertain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed meansconstituting, however, but one of various me chanical forms in which theprinciple of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing in outline, the kitchen and servicecounter of a restaurant equipped with the signaling system embodying theprinciples of my invention; Fig. 2 is a wiring diagram showing threebanks of indicator lamps and three control switches therefor; Fig. 3 isa central vertical sectional view, one of the selective drum switchesused in my signaling system;' and Figs. 4 and 5 are enlargeddiagrammatic views of the terminal-carrying discs of the switchillustrated in Fig. 3.

As will appear from Fig. 1 of the drawings, the apparatus illustrated isa three-unit system, and comprises an indicator device I adapted to bemounted on the wall of the kitchen of a restaurant, a control unit orbank of switches 2 mounted on the service table 3 of the kitchenadjacent the delivery window shelf 4 which extends into the dining roomportion of the restaurant adjacent the service counter 5 upon which twocabinets 6 are mounted. Each cabinet 5 is provided with a control unitor bank of switches i adjacent its lower edge but obviously the positionof the control units and indicator cabinets may be varied to suit theconvenience of the opera- 5 tors. Thus the dining room indicators mayalso be mounted on the wall as in the kitchen installation illustrated,and the respective switch banks may be disposed at any convenientpositions in the dining room. Also one indicator may 10 serve a numberof control units, or for some special uses of the device, the number ofindicator panels or cabinets may exceed the number of control units.

Various types of indicators may be employed, 15

that illustrated comprising a cabinet provided with a series ofsuccessively numbered rows of windows behind which are disposed electriclamps. The indication may be given by placing a selected lamp in any rowin circuit or by having one 20 lamp in any row show brighter than theother lamps in said row. Drop panels or any other indicating devices maybe used instead of lamps if desired.

In the wiring diagram shown in Fig. 2, the elec- 25 trical connectionssuitable for operating from three control units, one lamp in a twelvelamp row in three separate panels or cabinets is illustrated. It is tobe understood that each of the remaining three switches shown in eachcontrol 30 unit in Fig. 1 will have a similar set of wiring connectionsto its corresponding rows of lamps in the indicator panels. Obviouslythe number of switches in each control unit and the number of rows oflamps in each panel may be any number 35 required for a parti ular use.Any suitable source l l of electrical current may be employed, one lineE2 in the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 being connected to the shaft of thedial switch it which is provided with a number of contact studs i4 cor-40 responding to the number of lamps in each row of the indicator, andone extra line to provide for a non-indicating position, as willpresently be explained. The shaft is provided with a control knob 15 anda contact arm l6, whereby contact 45 may be made by said arm with anyone of the studs carried by the switch. The studs are mounted in aninsulating disc H and a suitable casing for the series of switches maybe provided as is shown in Fig. 1. Individual wires it, led, 50 i 8b,etc, from each of the studs are carried to corresponding contact studs25 in an insulating disc 22 carried in slip ring or drum type switch 23forming one of the banks of switches 7 shown in Fig. l. Said switch 23is provided with a suit- 55 able frame or casing 24 to the bottom ofwhich the disc 22 is rigidly secured. Within the casing a shaft 25 oiinsulating material is mounted, said shaft being adapted to be turned bythe knob 26. As will more clearly appear from Fig. 3 of the drawings,the shaft is a tubular fiber member held in a socket 2? at the lowerside of the casing by a spring 20, and carries a number of copper sliprings 28, 331), etc., suitably insulated from each other by means ofinsulating discs 29. Each slip ring is connected by a wire 38 with itsindividual terminal 35 carried on a disc 32 mounted adjacent the lowerend of the shaft. Each terminal comprises a binding screw against whicha spring 33 engages and below which spring a brush 34, of suitableconducting material, is seated. The ends of the brushes are adapted tomake contact with the studs 2 i forming the terminals of the wires fromthe switch l3.

A block of insulating material held at the side of the casing forms abrush holder 35 for the individual contacts for the respective sliprings. Each of these contacts comprises a brush 36, 35a, 361), etc.,pressed outwardly by a spring 31 and having a terminal member 38 formedwith a brass binding screw beneath which individual wires leading to asimilar switch 46 may be engaged. The switch 40 is of substantiallyidentical construc tion with that of the switch 23 and the wires 33,39a, 39?), etc., leading from the switch 23, connecting with contactstuds 4!, Ma, 4lb, etc., on a disk 42. The rotating contact member isidentical with that shown in Fig. 3. Wires 44. 44a, 44?), etc., areconnected to brushes 45, 45a, 45b, etc, and are each in circuit with alamp 5| in one row of the indicator l and a lamp 52 in one row of one ofthe indicators 1 and a lamp 53 in one row of the other indicator 1, inseries with each other. The circuit is completed by means of the wiresM, 44a, 441), etc., connecting to the other terminal of the currentsource I I, through a trunk line 46 and connection 41.

With the mechanism just described, the circuit may be closed through anyof the series of lamps illustrated in Fig. 2. Thus with the contact arml6 making contact with the wire l8b which terminates in the stud I4 onthe disc H, the current will flow through the brush 36 and theconnecting wire 38 to the slip ring 28; thence it will flow through thebrush 36 and its associated wire 39 to the stud 4| of the switch 40 andthrough its connections to the brush 45 and the conductor 44 to thelamps El, 52, 53, and thence through the trunk line 46, and connection4! to the current source.

It will be obvious that if the arm N5 of the switch i3 is turned tocontact with another stud such as the stud Ma, current will then flowthrough the line 18a, brush 34a, slip ring 28a, brush 36a, conductor39a, contact am, on the switch 40, and through its connections to thebrush a. and conductor Me which is in circuit with the lamps 5Ia, 52a,53a, instead of the lamps 54, 52, If the arm it should be turned in theother direction to contact with the stud Mb, 5), 52b, and 531), would beconnected in circuit instead of those originally mentioned.

If, instead of turning the arm 3 of the switch 2, the disc 3| of theswitch 23 was turned in a like direction one contact point, a likeresult would take place. The same action would also take place if theswitch 6.! was turned in like manner. If all three switches were turnedin the same direction the indicator lamps would be stepped up or down,depending upon the direction of movement of the switches, three points.

It will thus be seen that there is but one circuit established at onetime through the apparatus, but that the circuit path may be varied byany one of the switches at any time and that the movement of one of theswitches is entirely independent of the movement of the others but thatthe indicator will respond to the total relative displacement of all ofthe switches from the position originally occupied.

It will appear from Fig. 2 that there is one more set of circuitconnections through the switches l3, and 4s, than there are lamps ineach row. Thus there are twelve lamps in each row and thirteen circuitconnections. It will be noted that the last of the three switches, theswitch 40, has no connection for the topmost slip ring Bil. This permitsa non-indicating position to be set by turnin' any switch or combinationof switches to connect said slip ring 65 with the current source.

Where the device is to be used in a restaurant, a convenient manner ofhandling orders would be to label one row of lamps for an order such asroast beef and other rows of lamps for orders respectively of roastveal, roast pork, ham and eggs, and the like. Each row of lamps undereach of these designations would be serially numbered from 1 to thetotal number of lamps installed in the row. Like indicators would beavailable in the kitchen and dining room, and, if desired, an indicatorcould accompany each switch. When an order for roast beef was receivedby a waiter in the dining room, this order would be transmitted to thekitchen by turning the switch knob in the roast beef column in adirection to add a higher number to that showing in the roast beefcolumn. When an order of roast beef is delivered from the kitchen to thedining room, the switch in the kitchen would be turned in a direction toshow a lower numbered indication in the roast beef column. Suitableratchet mechanism BI, 62, 63 might be employed on the respectiveswitches to permit only clockwise movement of the switches 23, and 40,and counter clockwise movement of the switch l3. While a ratchetmechanism for movement in one direction has been shown in the drawings,it is to be understood that the apparatus will operate without a ratchetmechanism and that for purposes of correcting errors such ratchetmechanism may be omitted or made readily releasable, as otherwise errorswould have to be corrected by moving the indicator through substantiallythe entire swing of the dial in place of moving it back one step for anerror of one number.

The same system of operation would be readily applicable to the assemblyline of a manufacturing plant, such as an automobile assembly linewherein a number of small parts were in use and the quantity remainingavailable would be readily apparent from an inspection of the indicator.Likewise the device as applied to cab stands in various parts of thecity would show at all times the number of cabs at a particular stationand permit a distribution of the available vehicles to the bestadvantage.

As has been indicated, the system of control may be applied to manyother mechanisms other than those referred to and the individual partsof the apparatus may likewise be used for very specific services otherthan those herein described.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanismherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. In an electrical signaling system, a plurality of indicator units, aplurality of rows of signaling elements in each indicator unit, anelectric circuit connected with a source of power by two singleconducting elements, one of said elements connected with a singlecontact member movable relatively to a series of opposite contactmembers each connected with separate parallel circuits each having inseries corresponding signaling elements of corresponding rows in eachindicator, .a plurality of selective switches carrying contacts in saidparallel circuits, each of said switches having a series of fixedcontacts equal to the total number of signaling elements in a row, andeach switch having a movable member having individual contact membersequal to the number of fixed contacts and movable thereover in circuitchanging relation, said movable member carrying collector rings equal innumber to the number of individual contact members and individuallyconnected therewith respectively, and individual brushes equal in numberto the number of collector rings and connected in separate parallelcircuits with said respective signaling elements, and the other singleconducting element connected with the source of power having commonconnection with all of said parallel circuits through said signalingelements and switches.

2. An apparatus of the character described having in combination asource of electric current, a plurality of indicator elements connectedwith one terminal of said source of current, a plurality of conductorelements connected individually with said indicator elementsrespectively at one end and having a fixed terminal member at theopposite end forming part of a series of terminal elements, a movablecontact member connected with the opposite terminal of said source ofcurrent, a plurality of parallel conductor elements having a terminal ateach end and adapted to be selectively placed in circuit with saidsource of current by said movable contact member engaging one set ofsuch terminals, a rotatable member interposed between the other set ofterminal members of said parallel conductor elements and the series ofterminal elements of the set of conductors extending to said signalingelements, said rotatable member having a plurality of parallel conductorelements terminating at one end in collector rings adapted to contactthe respective members of the series of terminal elements on the groupof conductors connected with said signaling elements and having aplurality of movable contact members adapted to contact the terminalelements on said parallel conductor elements connected with said movablecontact member, whereby any signaling element may be selectivelyenergized through movement of said movable contact member or throughmovement of said rotatable member, each independently of the other.

ROBERT W. RICHARDSON.

